DISCLAIMER: Star Trek: Enterprise and its characters are the property of Paramount Pictures.
Captain's Personal Log, March 3rd, 2155. The Enterprise is on a survey mission to find potential sites for future human colonies. It looks like we may have found an excellent planet today.
Jonathan Archer looked at the planet on the view screen. "So, what's the story?" he asked his Vulcan Science Officer, T'Pol.
"The planet is Minshara class," T'Pol replied. "However, I am detecting no life forms on the surface."
"That's odd," Malcolm Reed said in his familiar British accent. "You would think that this planet would be bursting at the seems with life."
"I agree," Archer said and turned to his communications officer, Hoshi Sato. "Anyone down there, Hoshi?"
"No sir, I'm not picking up any transmissions," Hoshi replied. "Looks like we have this planet to ourselves."
"So what are we waiting for," Chief Engineer Charles "Trip" Tucker said.
"I couldn't agree more, Trip," Archer said. "T'Pol, Malcolm, you're both with me. Hoshi, call Dr. Phlox and tell him to meet us at the Transporter."
"We're not taking a shuttle pod down?" Travis Mayweather, the helmsman, asked.
"Sorry, Travis, not this time," Archer said, smiling.
"Aw, heck, I was hoping to pilot it down," Mayweather said with disappointment.
"Next time, Travis," Archer said and then turned to Tucker. "Trip, the bridge is yours."
OOOOOOOO
The Transporter beam deposited Archer, T'Pol, Reed, and the ship's Denobulan physician, Phlox, onto the planet's surface. Within seconds, both Phlox and T'Pol were taking readings with their scanners, while Reed was slowly looking around, his phase pistol at ready. "Malcolm, relax. There is nothing dangerous down here." Archer said.
"One can never be too careful, Captain," Reed replied. "Sometimes you don't see the danger until it's right on top of you."
Ah, Malcolm, you'll never change, Archer thought to himself.
"Strange in that there doesn't seem to be any animal life here," the puzzled Phlox said.
"I agree with that assessment," T'Pol added.
"Then let's find out why," Archer said as he looked at the landscape that surrounded them. The planet appeared to have a lush supply of forests, and exotic fruits could be seen on all the trees. "Eden."
"Captain?" T'Pol asked.
"Oh, just an old Earth legend," Archer replied. "The legend said that humanity started in a garden that might have looked like this planet. The only difference is that garden had animal life. We should..." Archer broke off as his communicator chirped. He pulled it out and opened it. "Archer here."
"Sorry to bother you down there, Captain," Trip Tucker's voice said. "However we may have a problem up here."
"What is it, Trip?"
"Four ships just dropped out of warp up here. Their warp signatures identify them as Romulan."
"Romulans?" Archer said. "Any indication of why they're here?"
"So far they haven't said anything," Tucker said. "However, given our short history with them, I doubt they've dropped by just to say hello."
"Understatement of the year," Archer said as he thought about the mysterious Romulans. Not too long ago, they had tried to disrupt a vital conference between Earth, Vulcan, Andoria, and Tellar Prime. Clearly, they had an agenda, but no one was sure what it was. Now here they were again and Archer knew their presence here was not friendly. He turned to the landing party. "Looks like our survey of this planet is going to have to wait. We have company upstairs." Archer then spoke into his communicator again. "Bring us up and then go to Tactical Alert."
OOOOOOOO
Soon, Archer was back on the bridge and watched the four Romulan ships on the view screen. "They're charging weapons," Reed said from his station.
"They're hailing us. Audio only," Hoshi said.
So the Romulans are still not willing to let us see what they look like, Archer thought. "Open a channel," he said.
"This is Commander Talek of the Romulan Imperial Fleet," the arrogant voice said over the channel. "This system has been claimed by the Romulan Star Empire. You will leave at once, or we'll destroy your ship."
"This is Captain Jonathan Archer of the Earth ship, Enterprise. We are on a peaceful mission here. Perhaps we can..."
"Perhaps you did not hear me, human," Talek's voice replied. "I said leave, now. You'll not be warned again!" The channel closed.
"Well, that was rude," Tucker said, shaking his head.
"Captain, it would be prudent to withdraw," T'Pol said.
"I agree with T'Pol," Reed said. "They've got us outgunned here."
Archer was silent for a moment as he weighed his options. However, in the end, he realize that Reed and T'Pol were right. "Travis, break orbit. Get us out of here."
"Aye sir," Mayweather said and quickly piloted the Enterprise out of orbit and away from the system.
"The Romulans are not pursuing," Reed said from his station.
"I'll be in my Ready Room," Archer said and left the bridge.
OOOOOOOO
Commander Talek sat on the bridge of his ship, watching as the Enterprise moved away and went to warp. Meddlesome humans. They're causing us more trouble than they're worth, he thought.
"I don't understand, sir," Talek's First Officer, a young female named Dellas, said.
"Don't understand what?" Talek asked.
"Why the Empire insists on holding this worthless planet," Dellas replied.
"Come with me, I'll show you why," Talek said.
OOOOOOOO
Soon the two Romulans were on the surface of the planet. "Well this was not what I expected," Dellas said as she reached for a piece of fruit on one of the trees.
"I wouldn't touch that if I were you, Dellas," Talek said. "If you took a bite of that fruit, you'd be dead in seconds. Take some readings with your scanner.
Dellas did so and what she found surprised her. "The fruit is deadly, and there's acid of some kind in the plants and grass."
"Yes, but it wasn't always this way," Talek said. "Once this was a thriving world, rich in flora and fauna."
"What happened?"
"A few decades ago, the Romulan government decided to conduct a new experiment. The idea was to change the ecosystem of a world so it would be suited for Romulans only. This world was selected as the test planet."
"I'm guessing it didn't work as well as they had hoped," Dellas said.
"No, it didn't," Talek replied. "Instead of a world in which only Romulans could live, the experiment resulted in this, a world in which nothing could live."
"I'm guessing the animal population fell victim to the changes the experiment made."
"They did," Talek said. "Needless to say, the experiment was shut down. However, this planet remains as a sad reminder of that folly." Talek smiled.
"What is it, sir?" Dellas asked.
"I'm just thinking of the irony here. The humans will never know it, but we did them a favour." Both Romulans laughed at this ironic twist.
OOOOOOOO
Archer was sitting in his Ready Room, thinking. These Romulans are going to be a serious problem before long. I wonder where it will end. His thoughts were interrupted as the door chime sounded. "Enter." The door opened and T'Pol came in. "What can I do for you?" Archer asked.
"I was wondering what designation should we give the planet we just visited," T'Pol said.
"You mean the one the Romulans chased us away from," Archer said. "We didn't even get the chance to take any proper readings. We never did find out why there was no animal life there."
"None the less, we should call it something," T'Pol said.
"How about Eden," Archer said. "In that legend I mentioned, humans were chased out of the Garden Of Eden. Now it's happened again because of the Romulans. Kind of fitting, don't you think."
"Very well, the name will be entered in the database," T'Pol said.
OOOOOOOO
And so the planet Eden was entered into the Starfleet database. In time, it was forgotten as other events, such as the Romulan War overtook humanity and its allies.
More than a century would pass before another Starfleet vessel, also named Enterprise, would visit the planet Eden. However, that story has already been told elsewhere...